Sally (Susan) Fisher was probably1For an understanding of how I use qualifiers, such as likely and probably, please see: How I Describe Levels of Conviction in Genealogical Research. born between 1805 and 1815 in the sleepy little town of Lyndon Vermont. Little is known of her childhood, but she was able to read and write in her adult years21870 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Waterbury, p. 323B (stamped), line 11; image, Ancestry.com ...continue, so she probably attended local schools in her early life. Lyndon Vermont is a “child town” of Rhode Island, and many of the early settlers of Lyndon came to clear land in the township in exchange for some of that land3“History of the Lyndon Area”, Lyndon Area Chamber of Commerce (http://www.lyndonvermont.com/index.php/learn-more/history : accessed ...continue. Perhaps that is what brought her unconfirmed parents to Lyndon.

In 1831 Sally would marry in Lyndon Vermont my 4th great-grandfather Francis (John) Farnsworth4“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : 22 May 2014), Caledonia > ...continue. While marrying in Lyndon, both Sally and Francis would be listed as residing in Kirby Vermont at the time of the wedding. There is an 1830 census enumeration of a Sally Fisher residing alone in the town of Lyndon 51830 U.S. census, Caledonia County, Vermont, Town of Lyndon, p. 328 (penned at top left), line 8, Sally Fisher; image, Ancestry.com ...continue. If the 1830 census is of Sally then the move to Kirby by her would have been within the year prior to her marriage, or 1830-1831.

Francis and Sally moved about different townships of Vermont as is evident by the locations in the 1850-1880 census. In 1850 they resided in Moretown, Washington County, Vermont61850 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Moretown, p. 275A (stamped), dwelling 1542, family 1552, line 8, Susan Farnsworth; ...continue; in 1860, they resided in Bolton, Chittenden County, Vermont71860 U.S. Census, Chittenden County, Vermont, population schedule, Bolton, p. 1 (stamped), ; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ...continue; and in 1870 and 1880 they resided in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont81870 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Waterbury, p. 323B (stamped), line 11; image, Ancestry.com ...continue91880 U.S. Census, Town of Waterbury, Vermont, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 218, p. 262D (stamped), line 22; image, Ancestry.com ...continue. While residing in five different townships in three separate counties, the entire breadth of Sally’s known residences through her life were less than 50 miles apart as a crow flies.

Residences of Sally Fisher

Kirby Vermont

Lyndon Vermont

Bolton Vermont

Moretown Vermont

Waterbury, Vermont

The Life of Sally Fisher

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1805-1815

Proof of Descent

My 4th great-grandmother is asserted as Sally Fisher in the Waterbury Vermont Town Records which recorded the death of Weltha [sic] Rich, my 3rd great-grandmother. She, along with her husband, Francis Farnsworth, are listed as the parents of Weltha [Wealthy] Rich [Farnsworth] 10“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : 22 May 2014), Washington > ...continue.

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1805-1815

Birth: 1805-1815

I have been unable to locate a birth record for Sally. This includes physically browsing the Lyndon and Kirby town records. This is not unusual for townships in Vermont. Many of them did not begin to record births on a regular basis until the state required it. Some online family trees11“Sally Fisher” FamilySearch, family tree (https://familysearch.org : accessed 5/1/2017). have based Sally’s birth on that given in the Waterbury Vermont Town Records 12“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 24 June 2017), ...continue and then repeated in the derivative work, Vermont Vital Records 1720-1908 13Ancestry.com. “Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908” [database]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com accessed 4/26/2017), 1871 and ...continue, both of which assert she was 80 years old when she died on 12 March 1885 of pneumonia. Researchers may also have used her gravestone, which she shares with her husband Francis Farnsworth, and which repeats the information found in the death record, that she was 80 years old when she died on 12 March 188514See gravestone image and transcription available on this page.. Likely, whoever supplied the information for the death record, also supplied the information for the marker of the gravestone. The location of birth, as listed in the death record is Kirby Vermont15“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 24 June 2017), ...continue. There were no Fisher family’s residing in Kirby Vermont during the 1810 census, and it is more likely Sally was born in Lyndon where several Fisher families resided. The county remains the same (Caledonia), and the towns do border each other.

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1830

Census: 1830

In the 1830 census of Lyndon Vermont is an entry for a Sally Fisher161830 U.S. census, Caledonia County, Vermont, Town of Lyndon, p. 328 (penned at top left), line 8, Sally Fisher; image, Ancestry.com ...continue. I have included this entry in the records for my Sally as perhaps her, however I see contradicting evidence to this fact, which makes me hesitant in forming a conclusion:

Contradicting Evidence

The age of Sally in the 1830 census (30-40) is different than her likely age of 15-25 at the time.

Sally’s marriage record to Francis, which would occur about 1 year later, has her residence as Kirby Vermont.

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1831

Marriage: 1831

In 1831, about a year after the 1830 census, Sally married Francis Farnsworth. The record is recorded in the Lyndon Town Records, Vol 2, page 31. 17“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : 22 May 2014), Caledonia > ...continue

State of VermontCaledonia Co. J.Be it remembered that at Lyndon in the County and State aforesaid in this fifth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty one Mr. Francis Farnsworth and Miss Sally Fisher both of Kirby County and State aforesaid were duly joined in Marriage by me

Jared Perkins Minister

A true copy of record Attest Jared Perkins MinisterLyndon June 6th 1931

The marriage, while taking place in Lyndon, states the residence of Sally in 1831 was Kirby Vermont.

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1840

Census: 1840

I have not been able to locate the 1840 census for Francis or Sally Farnsworth.

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1850

Census: 1850

Enumerated as Susan Farnsworth, age 37, female in the 1850 Moretown, Washington, Vermont census 181850 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Moretown, p. 275A (stamped), dwelling 1542, family 1552, line 8, Susan Farnsworth; ...continue. While the names given for John and Susan were different than their given names of Francis and Sally, the names of their children line up with those of Francis and Sally.

Census: 1860

Sally Farnsworth was enumerated in the 1860 Census at Bolton Vermont, age 52, female, born in Vermont. She is living with her husband Frank and seven of their children: William, George, Russell, R. Senna, Sarah, Lurana, and Firnando.191860 U.S. Census, Chittenden County, Vermont, population schedule, Bolton, p. 1 (stamped), ; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ...continue

Census: 1870

Sally Farnsworth was enumerated in the 1870 Census at Waterbury Vermont, age 55, female, white, born in Vermont. She is living with her husband Francis and son, Fernando. Also living in the house was a 1 month old child, Grace Copeland, who was born in May 1870 in New York.201870 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Waterbury, p. 323B (stamped), line 11; image, Ancestry.com ...continue

Census: 1880

Sally Farnsworth, white, female, age 76, was enumerated in the 1880 census, keeping house in Waterbury Vermont, residing with Francis, and their son Rinaldo and his wife Marion. She and her parents were listed as being born in Vermont. 211880 U.S. Census, Town of Waterbury, Vermont, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 218, p. 262D (stamped), line 22; image, Ancestry.com ...continue

Death: 1885

Sally (Fisher) Farnsworth died 12 March 1885 in the Town of Waterbury Vermont. Her entry in the town ledger for Waterbury22“Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 24 June 2017), ...continue, recorded her age as 80 years. She was listed as a married female, who was born in Kirby Vermont. Her cause of death was pneumonia. The Vermont death record card23Ancestry.com. “Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908” [database]. Provo, UT, USA: <em>Ancestry.com</em> (<a ...continue was created by a town clerk, Frank N. Smith, from the town ledger; as such, it is only a derivative work of the original.

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Family of Francis and Sally Farnsworth

FRANCIS JOHN3 FARNSWORTH (Joseph1, Ebenezer2) was born on 12 Dec 1803 in Massachusetts. He died on 08 Aug 1900 in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont. He married Sally Fisher on 05 Jun 1831 in Lyndon, Caledonia, Vermont. She was born between 1802 and 1815 probably in Lyndon, Caledonia, Vermont of unknown parents. She died on 12 Mar 1885 in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont.

Francis John Farnsworth and Sally Fisher had the following children:

WEALTHY A. FARNSWORTH was born about 1833 in Vermont. She died on 07 May 1902 in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont. She married GEORGE F. RICH. He was born in 1825 in Vermont, USA. He died on 25 Jun 1886 in Northfield, Vermont.

WILLIAM FARNSWORTH was born in 1837 in Vermont. He married MARY A. GALLUP. She was born about 1832 in Vermont.

GEORGE R. FARNSWORTH was born on 30 Jan 1839 in Vermont. He died on 09 Mar 1925 in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont. He married Betsey J in 1862. She was born in Jun 1845 in Vermont.

HENRY F. FARNSWORTH was born on 03 May 1840 in Kirby, Caledonia, Vermont. He died on 15 Jul 1915 in Duxbury, Washington, Vermont. He married (1) LUCY in 1868. She was born in Oct 1844 in Vermont. He married an unknown spouse in 1868. He married (3) JOSIE M. She was born about 1848 in Vermont.

RUSSELL FARNSWORTH was born in 1842 in Vermont.

ANNA FARNSWORTH was born in 1843 in Vermont.

SARAH FARNSWORTH was born in 1847 in Vermont. She married WILLIAM TOBIN. He was born about 1845 in Ireland.

FINAUDO RESOLIS FARNSWORTH was born on 22 Dec 1848 in Waterbury, Washington, Vermont. He died on 27 Feb 1921 in Waitsfield, Washington, Vermont. He married (1) MARION C. BRINK. She was born about 1863 in Vermont.

1850 Census for John and Susan Farnsworth 281850 U.S. Census, Washington County, Vermont, population schedule, Moretown, p. 275A (stamped), dwelling 1542, family 1552, line 8, Susan Farnsworth; ...continue
Notice the usage of different given names for both husband and wife.